Best I Can
by tjmack
Summary: Graham knows he doesn't fit in with their family. That he doesn't fit into her life, yet that doesn't stop him from trying. Post-Curse, AU


_**A/N: This is wishlist gift for a buddy of mine. I really hope she likes it! Also, I have another similar one-shot idea that kind of revolves around the same sort of idea, but it's way different. It'll be sort of like my Emma "post-curse" fic titled "Never Enough", as it will be mostly done from Graham's POV. Until then, enjoy this short little piece. The fic is based off the lyrics of the song, Best I Can by Art of Dying, I really suggest giving the song a listen to, especially when reading this. I've included a specific set of lyrics that I feel summarizes not only the story idea but how Graham feels as a whole.**  
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* * *

_A second chance to give you something  
It takes a lifetime to come from nothing  
I refuse to believe in running away_

_I am doing the best I can with everything I am_  
_Don't you know nobody's perfect_  
_Do you understand how hard I'm trying for you_  
_I am doing the best I can with everything I am_  
_Don't you know I think you're worth it_  
_Do you understand how hard I'm trying to do the best I can_

* * *

Graham stood, his back against the wall. He took in the sight of the fairly happy family. Though Emma was still processing everything, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Getting to know her new found family members, and enjoying the company of those she already knew. With a slight shake of his head, Graham attempts to depart from the happy scene. He doesn't belong here, he's nothing more than a huntsman. This family, every single member, is royalty. He hasn't earned the right to be apart of their lives, and yet he can't force himself to actually take a step away.

"Graham!" Henry shouts, and Graham smiles at the young boy. They had made a connection when Regina had kept him as her slave. He had been as much of a father figure to Henry as he could be, while Regina held him at a distance.

"Hey, Henry." Graham called back, his arms held open as Henry crashed into him.

"Easy, kid. Don't hurt him!" Emma called, a genuine smile on her face.

Despite the fact that Graham has absolutely no answers to the questions she's ask, most of which being how he was alive when she had watched him die, she had been fairly quick to accept him back. It wasn't immediate, nor did Graham expect it to be, no he had to do some work. Though she was friendly with him, and it wasn't a lack of trust that had kept her at a distance, it was the fear that if she let him back in that he'd leave again.

Though he didn't want to prove her right, he also knew that Prince James and Snow White would not accept him as an appropriate boyfriend for Emma. Then again he would like to stick around to see that conversation.

"I'm fine." Graham grinned, his heart aching as he stared at her. All he wanted was to reach out his hand, caress her cheek. To feel her lips against his and the tingling feeling that followed.

"Yeah, you are." Emma blushed when she realized what she had applied, before she smiled broadly at Graham. Little by little he had weaseled his way back into her heart, and watching him with Henry was only further melting the steel-reinforced walls she had shoved back into place when she had lost him.

"Graham!" Snow called out, rushing forward. Her arms went around his neck as she embraced him.

Emma and Henry had been the only ones that had known about Graham's reappearance. It was at his own wishes, since he wanted to time alone, some time to figure things out before Regina attempted to control him again. He knew it was only a matter of time before she tried to regain what belonged to her. He was just another of her possessions, but Emma had promised that it would be over her dead body before Regina laid another hand on him.

"Snow. It is so great to see!" Graham grinned brightly.

Snow sighed, "I thought-"

Graham nodded, interrupting her thought process. "I was. I honestly have no idea what happened. I can't say that I'm happy to be alive though." His eyes never left Emma's as he spoke, which didn't go unnoticed by James.

"Huntsman," James nodded, his face turning stony.

Here came the part that Graham had been waiting for. For James to explain that a simple huntsman wasn't worthy of his daughter. Not that Graham disagreed with the words that had yet to be spoken. He had known the moment that Emma had rolled into town that he wasn't worthy of her. Yet, it hadn't stopped him from trying. Perhaps he wasn't the best option, but he also wasn't the worst option. He might me a lowly huntsman, but he did love Emma with everything in him and he'd never hurt her.

"Prince James," Graham spoke stoically, as he bowed.

Emma rolled her eyes, yanking Graham back into a standing position. "Oh quit it, James!" Emma groaned. "Graham isn't some pheasantfor you to order around. He's a friend-" Emma paused, winking at Graham, before continuing, "I care about him, James. You leave him alone." Her arms were folded over her chest.

"Emma has a point, Charming." Snow smiled softly at her husband. "Graham did save my life, _twice_."

This time Graham's head snapped toward Snow. "Twice?" he questioned.

"You spared my life when you disobeyed Regina's orders, and again when you helped James escape Regina's castle."

A knowing look clouded Graham's features as he nodded his head. "It was my pleasure. I would have gladly done it again, Snow. Someone as selfless as yourself deserved to live, even if it meant-" he let his sentence trail off. As far as he knew the only people here who knew his full story was Henry, and James to a lesser extent.

"Even if it meant, what?" Emma prodded.

Realization crossed James' features, as he ran a hand over his mouth. "That's how you died—isn't it?" James prodded.

Graham's head hung, before nodding slightly.

Henry's eyes widened, "I knew it! I knew it was all her fault!"

Everyone's head snapped toward Henry, questioning looks on their faces.

"The _Queen_, she took his heart. When he returned to the castle without Snow White's heart, she took his. That's how she did it-" Henry trailed off looking toward Graham. "Isn't it?"

Graham nodded. "It was nothing really."

"Graham." The tone that Snow used caused Graham's heart to swell unexpectedly.

"Really, it wasn't anything special." his lips quirked slightly. "She did threaten me, that if I disobeyed her again that she would kill me. I just didn't remember that bit of information until it was too late."

Emma's eyes widen, as a hand went to mouth. "Oh God! It was my fault. She killed you because of me."

Graham shook his head as he grabbed a hold of Emma's shoulders. "Look at me, Emma. None of this, none of anything that happened was your fault. Just like I told Regina, I left her because it was what I wanted. For twenty-eight years, I didn't feel anything. Not until you came to town and awoke my nonexistent heart. I will never be able to repay you for what you did for me, but I can promise you one thing. I won't ever leave you again, not by choice."

Slowly the look of pain on Emma's face turned into a genuine smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "You promise?"

He smiled at her. "I swear it. I will do the very best I can to make you as happy as you deserve to be."

Without a second thought, Emma pressed her lips against Graham's. Slowly he pulled away and pressed his forehead against hers. "Of course that's if it's okay with your parents."

At the same time, both of them turned their heads toward Snow and James. Snow nodded her acceptance, and with a slight elbow to his ribcage, James reluctantly gave his nod of acceptance. Graham felt his heart swell with happiness. He finally found a place that he belonged, a family he belonged with, and no matter what, he knew that Emma was worth every bit of pain he had endured along the way.


End file.
